Substrate Processing Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A substrate processing apparatus includes a display unit having an operation screen, a first control section that transmits a control instruction for processing a substrate and a second control section that performs control according to the control instruction from the first control section. The first control section has a screen file that stores screen data in which the first row is settable as item data for a data number, a data name or the like, a parameter file that stores parameter data corresponding to the item data at least, and a display control section that displays the monitor screen by executing the screen file and placing the screen data on the operation screen as a monitor screen and executing the parameter file, searching through the parameter file based on the data number and placing the parameter data corresponding to the item data.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and,in particular, to an operation screen for a substrate processingapparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a substrate processing apparatus to which a wide variety ofparts are connected requires the check on whether the parts are normallyoperating while the apparatus is running. However, in a factory formanufacturing a semiconductor device, utility equipment relating to theparts, that is, equipment for supplying electricity, water, gas and rawgas are placed under the floor lying the substrate processing apparatus,and an operator must leave the substrate processing apparatus forreferring to utility data or checking the utility equipment. The utilityequipment has a hard interlock, which is preferably checked periodicallywhile the apparatus is running. However, the utility equipment islocated at a remote place, which wastes the time to start the apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems that the Invention is to Solve

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to allow display of dailycheck data, which is different for each client and/or for eachapparatus, on an operation screen for a substrate processing apparatusin order to monitor data that requires daily check, such as utilitydata, by an apparatus controller including a control section and anoperating section.

Means for Solving the Problems

The invention according to claim 1 is a substrate processing apparatuscomprising a display unit having an operation screen, a first controlsection that transmits a control instruction for processing a substrateand a second control section that performs control according to thecontrol instruction from the first control section, the first controlsection having a screen file that stores screen data in which the firstrow is settable as item data for a data number, a data name or the like,a parameter file that stores parameter data corresponding to the itemdata at least, and a display control section that displays the monitorscreen by executing the screen file and placing the screen data on theoperation screen as a monitor screen and executing the parameter file,searching through the parameter file based on the data number andplacing the parameter data corresponding to the item data.

Advantage of the Invention

According to the invention, the first control section displays on amonitor screen by placing screen data in a table format storing expandedscreen and parameter files in a screen file and the data correspondingto the item obtained by searching through the parameter file. Byhandling an item as a parameter on the screen in a table format in thisway, the item can be changed freely. Therefore, items in a parameterfile may be changed to support different clients or different machinetypes. As a result, different items for different clients and/ordifferent machine types can be supported by changing items in theparameter file only.

In a case where the name of daily check data, for example, required formonitoring a substrate processing apparatus in the parameter file isdisplayed on the screen in a table format, the item becomes the item ofthe daily check data. Then, the item and the data corresponding to theitem are placed on the screen in a table format, which are thendisplayed on the operation screen. On the display of the daily checkdata on the operation screen, a user can refer to the daily check databy monitoring the state of substrate processing at the same time.Therefore, an abnormality in or an check time for a machine or apparatuscan be estimated.

Since not only data relating to substrate processing but also datarequiring monitoring, such as daily check data, can be displayed on theoperation screen for a substrate processing apparatus, an abnormality orproblem in the apparatus can be estimated by monitoring data andperforming the substrate processing at the same time. In a case wheredaily check data for measurement instruments scattered over utilityfacilities are displayed as data on the operation screen for referringat a time, the checking work on sites where the apparatus operate can bealleviated. Since an item prestored in the parameter file and the datacorresponding to the item are displayed on the operation screen, nochange is required in a program for displaying the screen even when theitem is changed. Therefore, changing parameters is only required even ifutility facilities differ among different machine types and/or differentclients and even the items of an daily check vary widely, which greatlyimproves the general versatility.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to drawings, an embodiment of the invention will bedescribed.

First of all, an outline of a substrate processing apparatus to whichthe invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and2.

In a substrate processing apparatus to which the invention is applied, aFOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod, which will be called Pod, hereinafter)is used as a carrier that transfers a substrate such as a wafer. Thefront and back and left and right are based on FIG. 1 in the followingdescription. In other words, on the paper showing FIG. 1, the front isthe bottom of the paper, the back is the top of the paper and the leftand right are the left and right of the paper.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus has afirst transfer chamber 103 in a load lock chamber structure resistant tothe pressure (negative pressure) below atmospheric pressure such as astate under vacuum, and a cabinet 101 of the first transfer chamber 103is shaped a box having a hexagon in a plan view and closed top andbottom ends. The first transfer chamber 103 has first wafer transferequipment 112 that transfers a wafer 200 under negative pressure. Thefirst wafer transfer equipment 112 is configured to be capable of movingup or down by an elevator 115, keeping the air-tightness of the firsttransfer chamber 103.

A spare room 122 for loading and a spare room 123 for unloading areconnected to two side walls, which are positioned on the front sideamong the six side walls of the cabinet 101, through gate valves 244 and127, and each has a load lock chamber structure resistant to negativepressure. The spare room 122 has a substrate stage 140 for a loadingchamber, and the spare room 123 has a substrate stage 141 for anunloading chamber.

A second transfer chamber 121 to be used substantially under atmosphericpressure is connected to the front sides of the spare room 122 and spareroom 123 through gate valves 128 and 129. The second transfer chamber121 has second wafer transfer equipment 124 that transfers the wafer200. The second wafer transfer equipment 124 is configured to be capableof moving up or down by an elevator 126 placed in the second transferchamber 121 and is configured to be capable of reciprocating in the leftand right directions by a linear actuator 132.

As shown in FIG. 1, a notch or orientation flat matching device 106 isplaced on the left side of the second transfer chamber 121. As shown inFIG. 2, a clean unit 118 that supplies clean air is placed at the top ofthe second transfer chamber 121.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wafer load/unload opening and a pod opener108 for loading/unloading the wafer 200 to/from the second transferchamber 121 are placed on the front side of the cabinet 125 of thesecond transfer chamber 121. An IO stage 105 is placed on the oppositeside of the pod opener 108 across the wafer load/unload opening 134,that is, on the outside of the cabinet 125. The pod opener 108 has aclosure 142 that opens and closes a cap 100 a of the pod 100 and canclose the wafer load/unload opening 134 and a driving mechanism 136 thatdrives the closure 142. The insertion/withdrawal of the wafer 200to/from the pod 100 is allowed by opening/closing the cap 100 a of thepod 100 mounted on the IO stage 105. The pod 100 is supplied to orejected from the IO stage 105 by a rail guided vehicle (RGV), not shown.As shown in FIG. 1, a first furnace 202 and a second furnace 137adjacent to each other are connected to the two side walls positioned onthe rear side of the six side walls of the cabinet 101 through gatevalves 130 and 131. The first furnace 202 and second furnace 137 performa desired process on a wafer. Both of the first furnace 202 and secondfurnace 137 include a cold wall furnace, which is a process module. Afirst cooling unit 138 and a second cooling unit 139 are connected tothe remaining two side walls, which face against each other, of the sixside walls of the cabinet 101, and the first cooling unit 138 and thesecond cooling unit 139 are both configured to cool the processed wafer200.

Processing steps using the substrate processing apparatus in theconfiguration above will be described below.

The twenty five unprocessed wafers 200 stored in the pod 100 aretransferred to the substrate processing apparatus that performsprocessing steps by a rail guided vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the carried pod 100 is supplied to and mounted on the IO stage 105 fromthe rail guided vehicle. The cap 10 a of the pod 100 is removed by thepod opener 108, and the wafer load/unload opening of the pod 100 isopened.

After the pod 100 is opened by the pod opener 108, the second wafertransfer equipment 124 placed in the second transfer chamber 121 picksup the wafer 200 from the pod 100, loads it to the spare room 122 andtransfers the wafer 200 to the substrate stage 140. During the transferoperation, the gate valve 244 on the first transfer chamber 103 side ofthe spare room 122 is closed, whereby the negative pressure within thefirst transfer chamber 103 is maintained. After the transfer of apredetermined number of, such as 25, wafers 200 stored in the pod 100 tothe substrate stage 140 completes, the gate valve 128 is closed, and thespare room 122 is evacuated to a negative pressure by an exhaust (notshown).

When the pressure within the spare room 122 is equal to a predefinedpressure value, the gate valve 244 is opened, and the spare room 122 andthe first transfer chamber 103 are communicated. Then, the first wafertransfer equipment 112 in the first transfer chamber 103 picks up thewafer 200 from the substrate stage 140 and loads it to the firsttransfer chamber 103. After the gate valve 244 is closed, the gate valve130 is opened, whereby the first transfer chamber 103 and the firstfurnace 202 are communicated. Then, the first wafer transfer equipment112 loads the wafer 200 from the first transfer chamber 103 to the firstfurnace 202 and transfers it to a support within the first furnace 202.After the gate valve 130 is closed, processing gas is supplied into thefirst furnace 202, and a desired process is performed on the wafer 200.

After the process on the wafer 200 completes in the first furnace 202,the gate valve 130 is opened, and the processed wafer 200 is unloaded tothe first transfer chamber 103 by the first wafer transfer equipment112. After the unloading, the gate valve 130 is closed.

The first wafer transfer equipment 112 transfers the wafer 200 unloadedfrom the first furnace 202 to the first cooling unit 138, and theprocessed wafer is cooled.

After the processed wafer 200 is transferred to the first cooling unit138, the first wafer transfer equipment 112 transfers the wafer 200prepared on the substrate stage 140 in the spare room 122 to the firstfurnace 202, like the operation described above, and a desired processis performed on the wafer 200 within the first furnace 202.

After a lapse of a predefined cooling time in the first cooling unit138, the cooled wafer 200 is unloaded from the first cooling unit 138 tothe first transfer chamber 103 by the first wafer transfer equipment112.

After the cooled wafer 200 is unloaded from the first cooling unit 138to the first transfer chamber 103, the gate valve 127 is opened. Thefirst wafer transfer equipment 112 transfers the wafer 200 unloaded fromthe first cooling unit 138 to the spare room 123 and transfers it to thesubstrate stage 141. After that, the spare room 123 is closed by thegate valve 127.

By repeating the operations above, a predetermined number of, such as25, wafers 200 loaded into the spare room are sequentially processed.

After the processing on all of the wafers 200 loaded into the spare room122 ends, all of the processed wafers 200 are stored in the spare room123, and the spare room 123 is closed by the gate valve 127. Then, theinside of the spare room 123 is returned to a substantially atmosphericpressure by inert gas. After the inside of the spare room 123 isreturned to a substantially atmospheric pressure, the gate valve 129 isopened, and the cap 100 a of the empty pod 100 mounted on the IO stage105 is opened by the pod opener 108. Then, the second wafer transferequipment 124 in the second transfer chamber 121 picks up the wafer 200from the substrate stage 141, unloads it to the second transfer chamber121 and stores it to the pod 100 through the wafer load/unload opening134 of the second transfer chamber 121. After the storage of the 25processed wafers 200 to the pod 100 completes, the cap 100 a of the pod100 is closed by the pod opener 108. The closed pod 100 is transferredto the next step from the top of the IO stage 105 by the rail guidedvehicle.

Having described the example of the operations described above using thefirst furnace 202 and the first cooling unit 138, the same operationsare performed also in a case using the second furnace 137 and the secondcooling unit 139. In the substrate processing apparatus above, the spareroom 122 is for loading, and the spare room 123 is for unloading.However, the spare room 123 may be for loading, and the spare room 122may be for unloading.

The first furnace 202 and the second furnace 137 may perform a sameprocess or different processes. In a case where the first furnace 202and the second furnace 137 perform different processes, one process maybe performed on the wafers 200 by the first furnace 202, and a differentprocess may then be performed thereon by the second furnace 137.Alternatively, in a case where one processing is performed on the wafers200 by the first furnace 202 and a different process is performedthereon by the second furnace 137, the wafers may pass through the firstcooling unit 138 or second cooling unit 139.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate processing apparatusincludes an apparatus controller 12 having an operating section 10 and acontrol section 11. Multiple sub-controllers (control sectioncontrollers) for controlling substrate processing are connected to thecontrol section 11.

The sub-controllers may include a mechanism controller, a temperaturecontroller, a pressure controller and a gas controller for a mass flowcontroller (MFC), for example. The mechanism controller may control thefirst wafer transfer equipment 112, the second wafer transfer equipment124, the linear actuator 132, the gate valves 244 and 127, the elevator126, the notch or orientation flat matching device 106, the rail guidedvehicle and so on in the substrate processing apparatus to perform thetransfer and/or handling of the wafers 200. The temperature controlleradjusts the temperature of a heater for each of a process module thatthe first furnace 202 has and a process module that the second furnace137 has. The pressure controller controls the degree of opening of anexhaust control valve that reduces pressure in the first furnace 202 andthe second furnace 137 etc by evacuation of the exhaust. The gascontroller adjusts the flow rates of raw gas, dilute gas and carrier gasto the first furnace 202 and the second furnace 137. The sub-controllersperform control corresponding to a control instruction from an operationscreen on a monitor 15 of the apparatus controller 12.

The apparatus controller 12 has a hard disk (not shown) functioning as afixed storage apparatus and memories 13 and 14 for primary storage ofprograms and/or for data reference, and a keyboard functioning as aninput unit and the monitor 15 functioning as a display unit areconnected to the operating section 10. The hard disk stores an initialprogram (not shown) to be executed upon start of the apparatuscontroller 12, a screen file 22 that stores screens for performingsubstrate control over the substrate processing apparatus and a requiredprogram (not shown) such as a recipe file for automating substrateprocessing. The screens to be displayed on the monitor 15 include ascreen to be invoked from the screen file 22 first by the execution ofthe initial program loaded from the hard disk upon start of theapparatus controller 12 by the operating section 10, the screen for eachprocess module to be invoked from the screen file 22 by switching thescreens through a button displayed on the former screen, and a screenfor operating a transfer system and/or a handling system of the entiresubstrate processing apparatus according to a control instruction to themechanism controller.

The operation screens for each process module of the substrateprocessing apparatus may include a recipe editing screen and/or a screenfor performing a substrate process by the execution of a recipe, and thescreens are switched by switching buttons.

Here, the control instructions from the operation screens may refer tooutputting control signals for set values (target values) required forsubstrate processes, such as the set temperature, set pressure and setflow rate, which are set for each recipe to the sub-controllersresponsible for the execution of the substrate processes by thetemperature controller, pressure controller and mass flow controller bythe execution of the recipe on the process modules of the substrateprocessing apparatus or outputting set values (target values) to thetransfer (atmospheric transfer or vacuum transfer) and/or handlingsystems for wafers to the mechanism controller based on a recipe.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, a processing system will bedescribed which displays utility data on an operation screen of themonitor 15.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing processing of displaying utility data to beperformed with a screen and a parameter file by a program of theoperating section according to a first embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, a control section 1 and a control section controller2 are connected over a LAN (not shown) . The control section controller2 functions as a parts controller (sub-controller). Utility data istransmitted from the control section controller 2 to the control section1. As shown in FIG. 7( a), the units of the utility data transmittedfrom the control section controller 2 are converted by a unit conversionprogram in the control section 1. Then, the utility data is transferredto an operating section 3, as shown in FIG. 7( b). The operating section3 switches the screen to an operation screen 5 (FIG. 7( c)) by referringto the parameters defined in the client type (a), the presence of items(b) and unit conversion (c) of an initial parameter file 4 loaded uponstart and causes to display daily check data on the operation screen 5.In FIG. 7, the symbol “PM” refers to a screen of a process moduleincluding a substrate processing furnace, and the symbol “MF (mainframe)” refers to screens of a load lock module and a vacuum transfermodule.

FIG. 8 is an example of the operation screen 5.

In this way, by displaying daily check data on the operation screen 5(such as the flow rate of cooling water and the pressure of coolingwater in the shown example), a user is allowed to refer to the dailycheck data by monitoring the state of substrate processing at the sametime.

However, in a case where this system is applied to all of data fordifferent clients, machine types and users, the existing screen displayprogram installed in the system is to be extended, the screen files andunit conversion programs supporting the client type (a), presence ofitems (b) and unit conversion (c) are to be built in the program.

This may have effect on the existing system, but it is difficult to makethe program support different clients. Therefore, unnecessary screendata and/or unit conversion programs must be installed in the system,and unnecessary data not to be displayed must be stored in the system.

For example, in a case where the display form of display data, that is,the number of display digits for the accuracy of a measuring instrumentof daily check data, calculation results based on unit conversions, andthe number of digits to be displayed on the screen (including the numberof digits of the integer portion and the number of digits of thefractional portion of data) differ among systems based on the clientspecifications, the program in the operating section 3 is changed, andthe daily check data transmitted from the control section 1 is convertedto the data displayable by the program on the operating section 3 sidefor each data, as shown in FIG. 7( d), without the conversion of thedata format in the control section 1. Here, the program must be changedfor each client and for each type of the apparatus, such as themanufacturer and type of the pump, the form and display format ofmonitor data. Therefore, data not to be used at all in other systemsremain in the system and become wasteful data.

As shown in FIG. 7( a), in a case where data is to be converted in thecontrol section controller 2 and in a case where the input range(minimum value and maximum value) to the control section controller 2 isdifferent, for example, in a case where Pa display is to be converted toKPa display, conversion is required. Therefore, the program must bechanged.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a controller configuration according toa second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagramshowing examples of the configuration of daily check data and the datadisplay routine according to an embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operating section 10 and the control section 11of the apparatus controller 12 are handled as a first control section,and the control section controller 16 functioning as a sub-controller(parts controller) for inputting daily check data to the control section11 is handled as a second control section. The output sections ofmeasurement instruments of utility facilities, such as a pressure gauge18, a thermometer 19 and a pump 20, are connected to the control sectioncontroller 16 via a LAN and/or a cable. The utility facilities of thesubstrate processing apparatus are facilities required for allowingsubstrate processing, such as cooling equipment that supplies coolingwater such as chiller water to a cooling unit of the substrateprocessing apparatus to obtain heat resistance, a power supply sectionthat supplies power to a power supply facility of the substrateprocessing apparatus, purge gas supply equipment to be used for purginga substrate processing chamber, dilute gas supply equipment that dilutesraw gas, an external combustion apparatus for supplying gas oxide, andseal equipment that seals the seal part of the exhaust by seal gas (N₂gas). The facilities are mainly provided by a factory side.

FIG. 3 shows the connection of the thermometer 19 that detects thetemperature, the pressure gauge 18 that detects water pressure and thepump 20 that ejects the flow rate of cooling water of the cooling waterequipment, which is a measurement instrument of typical utilityfacilities among them. The measurement instruments that measure otherutility data, such as a wattmeter that detects utility data of the powersupply unit and a flow rate detector and pressure gauge of gas supplyequipment for purge gas, dilute gas and so on and the connection of hardinterlocks provided in the measurement instruments are omitted in FIG.3. The interlocks may include an interlock that transmits an interlockoutput to the control section controller 16 in a case where themaintenance door of the substrate processing apparatus is unlocked (notshown) and an interlock that outputs an interlock output to the controlsection controller 16 if the number of rotations of a pump unit (notshown) is higher than a preset number of rotations in a case where abypass is provided in a main pipe of the pump unit.

The hard interlock output of the maintenance door, which is not requiredto always check in this way, is also connected to the control sectioncontroller 16 and is transmitted to the control section 11 as dailycheck data.

On the other hand, a memory management program that manages monitor dataareas of the memory 13 of the operating section 10 and the memory 14 ofthe control section 11 can store 128 WORD-type data of two bytes intotal in the monitor data areas of the memory 13 of the operatingsection 10 and the memory 14 of the control section 11 and assigns apreselected address to each type of each daily check data and stores thedaily check data. The memory management program further updates thedaily check data under each address of the control section 11 with newutility data transferred from the control section controller 16 atintervals of a predetermined period of time such as several seconds andtransfers the updated daily check data to the same address in the memory13 of the operating section 10 (FIG. 4, ((a)-1)). Thus, the daily checkdata in the memory 13 of the operating section 10 is updated to newdaily check data transferred from the memory 14 of the control section11 every predetermined period of time. The memory management program isfurther programmed to add the display position of each utility data(daily check data) of the memories 13 and 14 on a daily check datamonitor screen 21 to each utility data in an n-rows-by-n-columns form.The operating section 10 displays it at the display position on thedaily check data monitor screen 21 in the table form after convertingdaily check data (utility data) by a unit conversion equation, as willbe described later.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the daily check data display program as adisplay control section, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showingdetails of the daily check data monitor screen 21 and a daily checkinitial parameter file.

The daily check data display program is a program to be executed by theoperating section 10 and first performs [1] screen initializationprocessing and next performs [2] screen update processing, as shown inFIG. 5.

[1] Screen Initialization Processing

The screen initialization processing first loads daily check datamonitor screen data 23 in an n-rows-by-n-columns table form in whichdata numbers, data names and so on, which will be described later, canbe set as item data through the screen file 22 (refer to FIGS. 3 and 6)of the hard disk of the apparatus controller 12 and expands it as thedaily check data monitor screen 21 in the n-rows-by-n-columns table formon the operation screen 24 of the monitor 15, with a scroll bar placedon the right side of the paper. In order to eliminate the complexity andobtain good vision, the daily check data monitor screen 21 does notdisplay the frame lines of cells at the first row and the divider linesbetween cells in the column direction at the two and subsequent rows, asshown in FIG. 6, but the format in which the frame lines and dividerlines are displayed may be adopted. The daily check data display programplaces monitor screen 21 over the operation screen 24 so as to preventthe overlap with other objects (such as a figure, a table, a cell andtext) on the operation screen 24 of the monitor 15 based on the layoutinformation of the other objects. Then, the daily check data displayprogram places row numbers and data numbers on the daily check datamonitor screen 21 in the table format.

Next, daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25 b shown as anexample in FIG. 4 or 6 and the memory 14 of the operating section 10 aresearched based on the array numbers, and the item data of the dailycheck data monitor screen 21 (refer to FIG. 4( b)) is obtained. Then,the item data is placed on the external frame line of the daily checkdata monitor screen 21 instead of the column number 23 a of the dailycheck data monitor screen 21.

Here, the array numbers for searching the daily check initial parameterfiles 25 a and 25 b refer to data numbers DATA1, DATA2 and so on (referto FIG. 6) of the daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25 bcorresponding to the data numbers No. 1, No. 2 and so on (refer to FIG.4) on the daily check data monitor screen 21. The item data refers tothe data to be displayed as items such as the name of data, a unit, aninterlock value, an interlock value range, a permissible maximum valueand a permissible minimum value.

The parameter data is a specific numerical value corresponding to theitem data, obtained by searching the daily check initial parameter files25 a and 25 b shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 based on the array number or theobject data to be replaced (such as the numerical value, the flow rateof cooling water and 1/min shown in FIG. 6). The numerical values anddata items in FIG. 4 are different from the expressions in FIG. 5, butthey are just examples. In reality, the utility data corresponding toitem data is determined for each film type, client type, machine typeand specifications, as will be described later.

The array number for searching the memory 13 of the operating section 10refers to the number corresponding to the data number DATA1, DATA 2 orthe like assigned to each daily check data in advance by the memorymanagement program.

Each of the daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25 b defines aunit conversion equation corresponding to the unit conversion for dailycheck data and the display position of the parameter data on the dailycheck data monitor screen 21. The unit conversion equation and thedisplay position are obtained by searching based on the array number.The display position of parameter data is given in ann-rows-by-n-columns form in advance, like daily check data in thememory.

Therefore, the item data, parameter data, display position of theparameter data and unit conversion equation for each daily check datamay be obtained by searching the daily check initial parameter files 25a and 25 b based on the array numbers. The utility data corresponding toan array number is obtained by searching the memory 13 of the operatingsection 10 based on the array number. Then, after the search for theitem data, daily check data and so on ends, the daily check data displayprogram places the item data functioning as a parameter such as a name(data name) and a unit and parameter data corresponding to the item dataat display positions on the daily check data monitor screen 21 as shownin FIG. 6 based on the display positions on the daily check data monitorscreen 21 and next allows the scroll by initializing a scroll bar 26. Asa result, as shown in FIG. 6, the item data, “No.” (data number),“NAME”, “MONITOR VALUE”, “UNIT”, “INTERLOCK VALUE”, “PERMISSIBLE VALUE(MAXIMUM)” and “PERMISSIBLE VALUE (MINIMUM)” are displayed from the leftside to the right side of the paper at the top of cells in the rowdirection. The “Flow Rate of Cooling Water” and “Monitor Value (blank)”,which are data names, “1/min”, which is a unit, and “0.005 or below”,which is an interlock value”, are placed next to the next data numberNo. 1. The “Gas Supply Pressure” and “Monitor Value (blank)”, which aredata names, and “MPa”, which is a unit, are placed next to the next datanumber No. 2. In the same manner, the “data name”, “unit”, “interlockvalue”, “permissible value (maximum)” and “permissible value (minimum)”obtained by searching are placed therebelow.

[2] Screen Update Processing

The screen update processing performs unit conversion on the daily checkdata obtained by searching through the memory 13 of the operatingsection 10 (refer to FIG. 4( b)) by using a unit conversion equation fordaily check data obtained by searching through the daily check initialparameter files 25 a and 25 b. Notably, in the example in FIG. 6, unitconversion is performed on the flow rate of cooling water, gas supplypressure, exhaust pressure, pump current value and the number ofrevolutions of the pump.

Next, the results of the unit conversion are placed on the daily checkdata monitor screen 21. In this case, the display position in then-rows-by-n-columns form on the daily check data monitor screen 21 hasbeen already given to daily check data when it is stored under anaddress in the memories 13 and 14. Therefore, the daily check datadisplay program displays the conversion results at the display positions(refer to FIG. 4( c).

As a result, the daily check data after the unit conversion is placed ata cell at the display position for the monitor value on the daily checkdata monitor screen 21. Then, the screen update processing (2) repeatsthe unit conversion and the display of the result at intervals of apredetermined period of time and updates the monitor value displayed onthe daily check data monitor screen 21.

Therefore, a user can monitor daily check data of the flow rate ofcooling water, the pressure of cooling water and so on with reference tothe interlock value and permissible values (maximum and minimum) on theoperation screen 24 and can estimate the necessity and time for checksfrom the tendency of changes.

Next, steps of changing utility data corresponding to item data will bedescribed. The change may include changes for different film types,client types, machine types and specifications.

[Example of Change for Different Specifications]

This change is required by the specification change in a system for aclient utility after the substrate processing apparatus is delivered tothe client. For example, a driving air pressure gauge may be required toreplace due to a change in specifications of an air supply system for aclient utility, and the full scale (that is, measurement range(measurement width)) of an actuator and upper and lower limit values ofthe full scale must be required to change therefore.

In this case, the “full scale”, which is a parameter of a driving airpressure switch and the parameter data of the “upper limit value”, and“lower limit value” of the “full scale” in the daily check initialparameter files 25 a and 25 b are rewritten. Thus, the full scale of thedriving air pressure switch and the permissible range of the full scaleare changed.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the daily check monitor screens before thechange (that is, before the rewriting) and after the change (that is,after the rewriting).

While the parameter values of the full scale and upper and lower limitvalues in the daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25 b are“10”, “8” and “5”, respectively, before rewriting, they are rewritten to“20”, “16” and “10” when the daily check data display program isrestarted. The parameter data of the parameters, which are notrewritten, such as “Mpa”are displayed in the same manner as those beforerewriting.

[Example of Change for Different Film Types]

This change is performed when the film type is changed during substrateprocessing. For example, this change is performed in a case where theprocess using N₂ gas and Ar gas is changed to the process using one typeof gas such as NH₃ due to a change in the process.

In this example, a gas 1 supply pressure gauge and a gas 2 supplypressure gauge are defined as item data of the name in the daily checkinitial parameter files 25 a and 25 b, and the parameter data of theparameters for the gas 1 supply pressure gauge and gas 2 supply pressuregauge are changed.

The parameters monitored by the gas 1 supply pressure gauge and gas 2supply pressure gauge are the full scale of the flow rate and the upperand lower limit values of the flow rate.

The full scale and the upper and lower limit values for the pressure tothe gas 1 supply pressure gauge in the daily check initial parameterdata are rewritten, and the parameter data of the gas 2 supply pressuregauge are changed to “N/A”. The “N/A” means that no control isperformed.

FIG. 10 shows an example of the daily check monitor screens before andafter change.

While the values of the full scale and upper limit and lower limitvalues of the pressure for the gas 1 supply pressure gauge are “5”,“0.05” and “0.02” before change, the values of the full scale and upperlimit and lower limit values of the pressure for the gas 1 supplypressure gauge are rewritten to “5”, “0.10” and “0.01” when the dailycheck data display program is restarted. The parameter data for the gas2 supply pressure gauge are rewritten to “N/A”.

The flow rate stays the same since the gas supply pressure gauge is notchanged but is used even with the change in gas type.

[In A Case Where Utility Equipment Is Changed to One by DifferentManufacturer After Delivery to Client]

For example, this may be a case where an actuator without a monitorfunction is replaced by an actuator with a monitor function by adifferent manufacturer since the monitor function is required thoughrequired functions therein are the same. More specifically, this may bea case where a pump by a pump manufacture A without a monitor functionfor current values is changed to a pump having a monitor function forpump current values by a different manufacturer B.

In this case, the addition of parameters and the addition of parameterdata are required to the daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25b. In the case of this example, item data (name) “Pump Current ValueMonitor” and Parameters “full-scale” and “upper limit value” and “lowerlimit value” for a pump ammeter are added to the daily check initialparameter files.

FIG. 11 shows daily check monitor screens before and after change.

When the daily check data display program is restarted, no monitorfunction is provided, and parameters and parameter data of the item data“Pump Current Value Monitor”, “Full-Scale” and “Upper Limit Value” and“Lower Limit Value” are not displayed before change as shown in FIG. 11(a). After change, as shown in FIG. 11( b), the parameters for “PumpCurrent Value Monitor”, BR>U Full-Scale”, “Upper Limit Value” and “LowerLimit Value” and “Unit” are displayed, and “28”, “20”, “10” and “A”corresponding to the parameters are displayed.

The invention according to this embodiment provides a programlessstructure (with transformation to a file form) and stores thoseexcluding utility data (monitor values), such as a unit and the name ofdata and permissible values as parameters in the daily check initialparameter files 25 a and 25 b, which are obtained by searching.Furthermore, the display forms to be involved in unit conversion arestored in the daily check initial parameter files 25 a and 25 b inadvance and are obtained by searching.

As a result, all of the parameters according to the first embodiment foreach client, the presence of data items and unit conversion can becontrolled by changing the data in the daily check initial parameterfiles 25 a and 25 b only. Therefore, like the monitoring system (FIG. 7)described as the first embodiment, unnecessary screen files and/or unitconversion equations are not required to store in the system, andunnecessary data do not remain in the system. The change based on thetype of change is also allowed.

A user can always check utility data (parameter data) before processinga substrate. Therefore, unlike conventional cases and Embodiment 1,unnecessary termination of the apparatus can be suppressed because ofthe change on the operation screen.

According to the first embodiment, in order to convert the data displayform, different processes are required in a case where the input range(minimum value and maximum value) from the control section controller 16is different even for the same type of data to be displayed since theprogram of the control section controller 16 performs the conversion ina fixed manner. According to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4,it can be addressed by parameter change. Furthermore, since the monitordata areas of the memories 13 and 14 store the same type of data and canstore data freely if within the number of arrays, the change inprecision of a measurement instrument or number of digits to bedisplayed (including the integer portion and fractional portion) can beeasily supported. The list display also allows easy change of the name,unit and unit (monitor value) as item data, which is an advantage.

Next, with reference to FIG. 12, the screen display of daily check dataand an alarm occurrence indication will be described.

In this example, the display area of one operation screen is dividedinto a main display area 50, a navigation button display area 51 and atab button display area 52. The navigation button display area 51 isprovided at the bottom of the operation screen. The tab button 53 is abutton for switching daily check monitor screens to be displayed on themain display area 50.

The main display area 50 is a screen display part to be switched by thetab button 53 or other navigation button (which will also be calledselect button).

Each tab button 53 is linked with one daily check data monitor screen.

In this example, while the navigation button display area 51 displays a“System” button 54, a “PM1” button 55, a “PM2” button 56, a“Maintenance” button 57 and an “Alarm” button 58, other navigationbuttons may be displayed as required.

The navigation buttons (select buttons) 54 to 58 are liked withcorresponding screens or programs, and when touched, the liked screenmay be invoked or the linked program is started.

In this example, when the “PM1” button 55 or “PM2” button 56 is touched,the screen for the process module liked therewith is invoked. When the“Maintenance” button 57 is touched, the maintenance screen is invoked.

Then, the “Alarm” button 58 flashes upon occurrence of an alarm, and theflashing by the other buttons 54 to 57 is inhibited.

Notably, the buttons 54 to 57 may be configured to change the color whentouched.

FIG. 12 is an example of the alarm detail display screen to be displayedon the main display area 50 in response to the touch on the “Alarm”button 58. The alarm detail display screen is one of the daily checkdata monitor screens.

The parameters in the daily check initial data for an alarm message mayinclude the “year, month and day (year, month and day of occurrence)”,“time (time of occurrence)”, “place of occurrence”, “level (level ofoccurrence)”, “message” and “details”, for example, but other parametersmay be added thereto as required.

The parameter data corresponding to the parameters are numerical valuesand/or text data.

In the example shown in FIG. 13, when the alarm button is touched,“2006/07/21”, “00:00:03”, “PM 1”, “6”, “Alarming a decrease in amount ofchamber cooling water” and “0.08” are displayed as the parameter datacorresponding to the parameters of the “year, month and day”, “time”,“place of occurrence”, “level”, “message” and “details”, and, in thesame manner, when the next alarm occurs, the parameter data“2006/07/21”, “00:00:10”, “PM 1”, “2”, “Alarming a decrease in amount ofchamber cooling water” and “0.01” are displayed.

Notably, the parameter data to be displayed in the “details” isretrieved from a database.

The parameter data “place of occurrence” and/or the “level” and/or amonitor value, which is a cause of an alarm, may be used as the searchoperators. The actions after the occurrence of an alarm can befacilitated by the displayed action to be performed upon occurrence ofan alarm message, recovery routine and detail information asdescriptions of the “details” if any.

The alarm detail display screen illustrated in FIG. 13 means that:

(1) The amount of cooling water in PM1 is 0.08 liters beyond the alarmrange, which causes the flow of cooling water, on “2006/07/21” and at“00:00:03”; and(2) is 0.01 liters beyond the alarm range, which causes theamount-of-cooling-water alarm, on “2006/07/21” and at “00:00:10”, thatis, seven seconds later.

In this way, an action can be taken quickly upon occurrence of an alarmsince data required for the action can be obtained, such as the date andtime, type, cause, level and details of the alarm, when an alarm buttonis touched.

The processing apparatus of the invention is applicable to not only asemiconductor producing apparatus but also an apparatus that processes aglass substrate such as an LCD apparatus. The film-forming processingmay include CVD, PVD, processing that forms an oxide film or a nitridefilm and a film containing metal. The processing apparatus of theinvention is not limited to a single wafer processing apparatus but isalso applicable to horizontal or vertical processing apparatus. Theinvention does not directly relate to the processing within furnaces butis also applicable to oxidization, annealing, diffusion and so on. Itemdata, the centering or flush right or left for controlling the displayof the daily check data and/or the numbers of digits of the integer andfractional portions of the daily check data may be defined in the dailyinitial parameter file for display. In this way, various modificationsand alterations can be made to the invention, and it is apparent thatthe modified and/or altered invention is within the scope of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 It is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus to whichthe invention is applied, partially including a section view.

FIG. 2 It is an elevation view of a substrate processing apparatus towhich the invention is applied, partially including a section view.

FIG. 3 It is a schematic diagram of a controller configuration accordingto a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 It is an explanatory diagram showing examples of theconfiguration of daily check data and the routine of displaying dataaccording to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 It is a diagram showing details of a daily check data displayprogram functioning as a display control section.

FIG. 6 It is an explanatory diagram showing details of a daily checkdata monitor screen and a daily check initial parameter file.

FIG. 7 It is a diagram showing processing of displaying utility data,which is performed with a screen and a parameter file by a program in anoperating section according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 It is an example of a special operation screen in the monitoringsystem in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change example fordifferent specifications.

FIG. 10 It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change example fordifferent film types.

FIG. 11 It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change example ina case where a part of utility equipment is changed to one by adifferent manufacturer.

FIG. 12 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the dailycheck monitor screen having select buttons for screen switching and analarm button for invoking an alarm information screen.

FIG. 13 It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the alarminformation screen.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

-   10 Operating Section (First Control Section)-   11 Control Section (First Control Section)-   12 Apparatus Controller-   15 Monitor (Display Unit)-   16 Control Section Controller (Second Control Section)-   21 Daily Check data Monitor Screen-   22 Screen File-   23 Daily Check data Monitor Screen Data-   24 Operation Screen-   25 a Daily Check Initial Parameter File

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising a display unit having anoperation screen, a first control section that transmits a controlinstruction for processing a substrate and a second control section thatperforms control according to the control instruction from the firstcontrol section, the first control section having a screen file thatstores screen data in which the first row is settable as item data for adata number, a data name or the like, a parameter file that storesparameter data corresponding to the item data at least, and a displaycontrol section that displays the monitor screen by executing the screenfile and placing the screen data on the operation screen as a monitorscreen and executing the parameter file, searching through the parameterfile based on the data number and placing the parameter datacorresponding to the item data.